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Omaha tweaks budget following smoking ban ruling

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By The Associated Press

Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008 - 01:33:09 pm CDT

OMAHA — Omaha city officials are tweaking parts of the city’s budget in light of a recent Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that expanded the city’s ban on smoking in public.

In May, the state Supreme Court ruled that Omaha’s exemption of keno bars and a horse racing track from its public smoking ban was unconstitutional. Last month, the smoking ban took effect in those businesses, as well.

Omaha finance director Carol Ebdon says her office looked at what happened to the city of Lincoln following its all-inclusive smoking ban. She determined that Omaha, too, will lose money because of lower keno revenue.

Ebdon says Omaha saw $8.1 million in keno revenue last year. She said that number is expected to drop to $7.3 million this year.


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Good wrote on July 16, 2008 2:48 pm:
" I hope they lose a lot more then that. If people lose their rights to do legal things in a bar then the state and cities should lose money. But then again they will just raise taxes and then everyone will cry. "

 dailydouble wrote on July 16, 2008 3:24 pm:
" less smoke, good. less gambling also good. state happy because they are controlling our lives. less revenue bad. oh well the state will simply raise taxes somewhere else. so now those dogooders will have to pay for infringing their beliefs upon us poor sinners. "

 to good wrote on July 16, 2008 3:43 pm:
" Just another sad smoker who cries because he can't drink/smoke with his buddies. It's about time the rest of us don't have to pay for your continual bad judgement. "

 Outside the Box wrote on July 17, 2008 8:36 am:
" You people can boo-hoo smoking bans all you want, but here are some facts for you:

After the 1st year "adjustment period", Lincoln business has rebounded to "normal" levels.
Next year, everyone will be on a level playing field.
A recent study showed the amount of nicotine in the blood of non-smokers has greatly decreased in the last 10 years. This is great news for those of us who do not want to be exposed to addictive, carcinogenic substances, and is partially due to smoking bans. "

 Former smoker wrote on July 17, 2008 12:01 pm:
" Nobody ever said non-smokers HAD to be exposed...do everyone a favor and just STAY HOME. Smokers get tired of your everlasting preaching. It's not your responsibility to save smokers. The irony of all this is that it's the friendliest people you meet at the smokers'outpost...I've quit smoking but still like to go and hang out with the friendly people and join them in complaining about all of you uptight nonsmokers. You should take a drag sometime; it's pretty relaxing! "

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